“As we turned the corner beside the trolley car track we saw the deputies lined up against the fence. Then Sheriff Martin stepped to the front and said, ‘Well, now, you must halt again. You can go no further.’ The Sheriff was flourishing a pistol in front of him. I stepped up to him and tried to argue with him. Some one behind shouted, ‘Go ahead.’ With that the sheriff grabbed one man by the arm and, pointing the pistol at him, said: ‘Did you tell them, to go ahead?’ The man said he had not spoken. Then the sheriff seized another man and began to shove about. ‘You will say go ahead, eh.’ Shouted the sheriff, and at the same time he aimed his pistol squarely at the man’s heart. The man was naturally frightened and pushed the sheriff’s hand holding the pistol to one side. Whether or not the sheriff considers that an attack I don’t know. I am positive that not a man hit the sheriff. A moment later one of the deputies pushed forward. I heard some one say ‘Give them some shots.’ Whether or not the order was given by Sheriff Martin I cannot say. Then the firing began. A stampede followed. Many of us who were in the front ranks could not believe that the deputies were using ball and shot. We thought they might use blank cartridges to frighten us, but when I saw men dropping and blood flowing I turned and ran toward the wood, followed by the deputies. It was a regular slaughter.”
- John Eagler, leader of the march to Lattimer, report to The Sun on September 13, 1897
- John Eagler, leader of the march to Lattimer, report to The Sun on September 13, 1897